Hungary Prime Minister Victor Orban reiterated today that his country strongly supports Northern Macedonia for the second -year ambition of becoming a member of the EU, while accusing the latter being responsible for the delay in this direction.

“It is a shame that this process is going so slowly, something that Northern Macedonia is not responsible for, but we, the members of the European Union. That is why we support the integration of Northern Macedonia. The EU must improve competitiveness and I see no other solution to improve competitiveness other than enlargement“, Victor Orban said, after his meeting in Budapest today with Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia, Christian Mitskoski.

Victor Orban added that it was “unfair” for European leaders to favor Ukraine over Northern Macedonia on their course of joining the EU.

For his part, Christian Mitskoski noted that his country’s strategic goal is to join the EU and expressed special thanks to the Hungarian Prime Minister for the support he offers to Skopje.

Christian Mitskoski argued that the stagnation of the European course of Northern Macedonia was due to “bilateral disputes”, referring to his country’s differences with Bulgaria and the latter’s refusal to consent to the beginning of the North Macedonian accession negotiations. The Bulgarian minority living in the country.

Victor Orban said that bilateral disputes should not affect and prevent the integration of candidates to join the EU.

Concerning the war in Ukraine, Victor Orban said that Hungary remains in the position that the war must end immediately.

“We have been living in the shadow of war for three years. We welcome the negotiations between the United States and Russia and we are interested in a successful outcome. We stand against those European Union countries, who are our friends and allies, but who have decided that the war in Ukraine must continue. Continuing war is a bad and wrong thing“, Said the Hungarian prime minister.

Victor Orban also announced that he would meet with French President Emmanuel Macron tomorrow to discuss Ukraine before the extraordinary summit of the European Union leaders scheduled for Thursday.

Christian Mitskoski’s visit to Budapest was held at the second intergovernmental conference between Hungary and Northern Macedonia held yesterday and today in the Hungarian capital.

Victor Orban was the first foreign leader to visit Northern Macedonia since Christian Mitskoski’s right-wing VMRO-DPMNE took power in the country after the parliamentary elections held in May 2024. Ohrid, the first intergovernmental conference between Northern Macedonia and Hungary.

In the past, the Victor Orban government has granted a billion -euro loan to the Government of Christian Mitskoski at a low interest rate (3.25%) and favorable terms (three -year grace and paying period in 15 years).